SAVE THE DATE – REAL on the Beach in the Park

You may have taken part in REAL on the Beach in previous years but this year we are going to celebrate all things early literacy in the Millennium Town Park.

The date is Saturday 23rd September, between 1pm and 3pm.

We have lots signed up already, if you/your setting would like to join in with the fun, please contact [email protected].

More information will be available on the Festival of Words website: Jersey Festival of Words

The Best Start Partnership’s aim is to give every child in Jersey the best start in life.

By sharing your thoughts, through completing this survey, you will be making a significant contribution to the decisions the Partnership makes in how it will support Jersey’s families in 2023.

The findings will be used to inform the design, development and delivery of services and will be available at www.beststart.je, where you can find out how the partnership’s work has benefited families in Jersey in 2022.

The survey will take approximately 4 minutes to complete and as a thank you for taking part you will be given the option to enter into a prize draw at the end, for the chance of winning £50 Sandpiper vouchers than can be redeemed in any of their stores (retail, gas stations, iQ, clothing and home)

Please share and encourage others to add their views.

Thank you.

The new CEYS Training Directory is available here ; Spring 2023

Jersey Children’s Day 2023 will be celebrated with a free family fun event on Sunday 2 July between 10am and 5pm at Howard Davis Park.  The event – which took place for the first time last year – will remain open to all families, and free to attend.

Around 6,000 people attended last year’s inaugural events at Millbrook and Howard Davis Park for a free day of entertainment, music, activities and art. More than 50 charities, organisations and businesses took part in the event. Since 2020, Jersey Children’s Day has been held each year on – or close to – the 3 July.

This follows a recommendation by a Citizen’s Panel that was set up after the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry (IJCI).

The Panel called for 3 July to be Jersey Children’s Day, to commemorate the date in 2017 that the IJCI published its report into Jersey’s care system over many decades. It is designed as a day to remember the failings of the past, and look forward to the future.

The event on 2 July will include:

• Live music from young people
• Free entertainment and activities throughout the day
• A community and charity hub for services that support children and families
• An art project by primary school children, in collaboration with ArtHouse Jersey
• More food and drink stalls

  Community organisations, charities, and vendors are being invited to make the day a success by providing their services. Those who want to take part in the day can register their interest by completing an online survey.

Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said: “I am thrilled to announce that we’ll once again be holding a free, inclusive, family event to celebrate Children’s Day. When I attended the event last year, I saw first-hand how successful it was, so I am very proud to be involved in delivering the event this year.

“We will once again be planning an inclusive day for all families, and I hope that Islanders will join us in making the day a success.”

Cheyenne O’ Connor, of the independent survivor’s group at Community Partnership Trust, said: “The Children’s Day Steering Group, which I’m a member of, have been working hard behind the scenes making plans for this year’s Children’s Day. We’re going to hold the event in one park this year and make sure that there are activities for all ages and families. If you would like to support the day or get involved please get in touch.”

If you are interested in providing catering, entertainment, or a community stall at the event, please complete this survey, or email [email protected].

We have a couple of MAYBO courses coming up – so far we have delivered to over 150 practitioners and their feedback including:

“Fantastic delivery and content!”

“Everyone in the sector should be doing this training”

“Brilliant trainers”

“Learnt so much and will put in to every day practice”

Positive and Safer Approaches to Behaviour

This course will help develop understanding of young children’s needs and behaviours by exploring functions of behaviour, positive behavioural support and safer de-escalation. This MAYBO licensed course is available to practitioners working within a registered setting. The course is split into three modules each taking 3 hours to complete. Details of each participant will be required at time of booking for certification purposes. Please see the links below for the various courses currently available:

For those working in registered Early Years Settings:

Wednesday 10th May, 9:30-12:30 and Thursday 11th May, 9:30-3pm Book Here

For those working in school aged care – after school clubs, holiday clubs, activity clubs:

Wednesday 17th May, Thursday 18th May and Wednesday 24th May between 5pm and 8pm Book Here

Alternatively, we may be able to deliver the course in your setting, to all your team at the same time (we even do Saturdays!).  Contact [email protected] for more info.

Brightly is piloting a Home-Start Jersey initiative this year and will offer regular support, friendship, and practical help to individuals or families who need some support in their own homes, helping to prevent crisis or breakdown and help people when they need it most.

We will provide home-visiting support to three specific target groups:

· Care leavers aged 16-25;

· Families with pre-school children, where a parent is care experienced; and

· Families with pre-school children, where a child or a parent is experiencing poor health.

We have successfully recruited and trained ten volunteers who will be matched to an individual or family who they will visit once a week (usually for 2-3 hours). We are starting in a manageable way and then hope to grow appropriately.

Background

Since 1973, in the UK, Home-Start volunteers have been providing tailor-made support to help families. In most cases help is offered where families or individuals feel isolated and have no-one nearby to help.

There are over 180 local, independent Home-Starts working in 71% of local authority areas across the UK. Home-Start works with families in communities right across the UK. Starting in the home, the approach is as individual as the people we’re helping. No judgement, it is just compassionate, confidential help and support.

At the heart of each Home-Start’s work is home visiting volunteer support. Across all four nations of the United Kingdom last year 10,000 home-visiting volunteers supported over 27,000 families and 56,000 children to help transform their lives.

Home-Start works because our volunteers understand how hard it can be. They work alongside individuals/parents, in their own homes, to help them cope with the stresses and strains of life and make sure they have the skills, confidence, support and strength they need.

A Home-Start volunteer can help with a wide range of problems and will be aware of specific family/individual needs. Support is offered to those struggling with things such as isolation, the effects of post-natal illness, housing problems, disability, mental health issues, bereavement, multiple births, poverty, financial difficulties, children’s bed-time routines, meal plans, listening, cooking, issues with Social Security benefits, networking, accessing services/groups, seeking employment/training, attending appointments, and so on. Trained volunteers provide support for a whole range of challenges and will spend around two – three hours each week at the person’s home supporting them in the ways they need.

After meeting with the family or individual to discuss their specific needs, Home-Start Jersey will match the family to a volunteer. The help we give each family is unique and depends entirely on their circumstances, requirements and what they want help with.

Making a referral

A wide range of different people can refer families to their local Home-Start for support. We receive referrals from health visitors, GPs, social care and childcare practitioners as well as those involved in mental health services, charities, education, early years and so on. Around 17% of the families supported by Home-Start in the UK refer themselves to a local Home-Start for support.

To make a referral please contact Home-Start Jersey directly, [email protected] / 07797796392 or complete a referral form which can be found on our website, Home-Start Jersey – brightly.je

We match the needs of the family with trained volunteers who provide emotional and practical support. Support is free, confidential and non-judgemental.

If you are working with a family or individual who you think could benefit from our support, you should discuss Home-Start Jersey with the individual/family first as they must agree to receive support. You then complete the referral form (as above.)

Once you have referred a family to Home-Start Jersey we will:

• Set up an initial visit with the family/individual to discuss their needs
• Carefully match the skills and experiences of a volunteer to the needs of the family/individual
• Introduce the volunteer to the family/individual
• Let you know when Home-Start Jersey support starts and ends

A home visiting volunteer will call by every week, for a couple of hours; the duration of the support will be reviewed and is generally for a minimum of six months and can often be for longer

• Keep you informed about progress
• Monitor and assess their support

Building Blocks to Toilet Training

Presentation for Parents

Based on ERIC Charity www.eric.org.uk

We will be holding “Building Blocks’ presentations on the first Wednesday of every month, 10am-11.30am at Samares Pathways Child & Family Centre.

(Drive along the coast road and turn in at Rue De Maupertuis then left onto Les Cloches (opp. Eastern Good Companions Club) then turn left into the Samares School grounds / carpark (high fenced)

No booking required for your attendance at this session.

This information in this presentation is designed to help you support your child to acquire the pre toilet training skills needed to start their toilet training journey.

Dates for the 2023 presentations are-

3rd May

7th June

5th July

2nd August

6th September

4th October

1st November

6th December

E-cigarette use in pregnancy and Second-Hand Smoke leaflet and training:

Please see the link below to be shared with your teams to access the second hand smoke (SHS) online training module. Second hand Smoke: Promoting Smoke free Homes and Cars

Your departments should have received the public resource on second hand smoke to be given out to service users. Let me know if you didn’t.

As you might be aware, the burden of diseases from smoking and second-hand smoke is quite high in Jersey.  According to SmokingProfile 2020 report:

In 2018, one in seven (14%) Jersey households reported having someone who regularly smoked inside their home.

One in ten (10%) owner-occupier households had someone who regularly smoked inside their home.  Compared to one in six of qualified rental households (17%), one in six non-qualified households (18%) and one in four (25%) of social housing households.

In households where children were either living or were regularly looked after in the home, 7% of owner-occupier households, 15% of qualified rental households, 34% of non-qualified households and 35% of social housing households reported having someone who smoked inside the home

Smoking around babies;

As part of the 6-week check of new-born babies, the risk of exposure to second-hand smoke is assessed by GPs. This assessment indicated that around one in six (17%) of all babies born in Jersey in 2019 were living in a household where they

may be exposed to tobacco smoke by an adult.

Before the COVID pandemic, an online training module to deliver brief interventions on second-hand smoke was live for healthcare professionals in Jersey. We are now planning tore-start the project and extend the provision to more groups who come in regular contact with families, with young people, who smoke.

More about the training module:

The online training module was bespoken for Jersey context by National centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) UK.  It consists of two main videos discussing ways for “Ask, Advise and Act” about second-hand smoke in a non-confrontational manner with families who smoke. It also discusses health hazards of exposure to passive smoking on children and pregnant women.

The link to online training module will be circulated via email and will also be available on virtual college.

Currently, we are also updating the public resource on SHS that will be shared with you in due course.

The Public Health team in Jersey aims to reduce the second-hand smoke menace on Island and seeks your support to tackle this issue.

Health Promotion

Government of Jersey

Strategic Policy, Performance and Population

19-21 Broad Street | St Helier |Jersey | JE2 3RR

Your Health and Wellbeing Priorities

Public Health is inviting Islanders to take part in a research project that will explore their health and wellbeing priorities.  The project will involve focus groups based on themes mentioned during Jersey’s Big Health and Wellbeing Conversation in October 2022. It will look at what the Government can do more of to help you improve your health and wellbeing.  The focus groups will take place between April and October 2023.

To take part, Islanders will need to complete the recruitment questionnaire which will gather some background information to help those with shared priorities to come together.

Factors the project will be discussing include:

• housing
• cost of living
• family and community
• climate change and pollution
• alcohol and drug use
• tobacco and vaping
• food and nutrition
• healthcare
• physical activity
• leisure time, including work life balance and socialising
• media, including social media
• physical and mental health

How to submit comments to the consultation

Complete the recruitment questionnaire to tell us your key factors which impact your health and wellbeing. We will be in touch to invite you to a focus group to discuss in due course. The discussion groups will take place between April and October 2023 and will be held in different locations across the Island. The recruitment questionnaire is available in English, Portuguese, Polish and Romanian.

Your health and wellbeing priorities recruitment questionnaire

You can also get in touch with the research team by emailing; [email protected].

Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Karen Wilson, said: “Engaging our community and hearing about their health and wellbeing is hugely important and I really hope Islanders take up this opportunity to take part as everyone has valuable insights about how we can live healthier lives.”

Director of Public Health, Professor Peter Bradley, said: “This is an important project that we are working on. We want you to bring along your best ideas on how things can be made better for you. Using your feedback, we will have a deeper understanding of how we can build on what works well and what improvements can be made. We’ll be using this information to develop better policies and better ways to support all Islanders in the future”.

Public Health privacy notice.

News and Research from the UK

You can download the latest Early Childhood Bulletin from the National Children’s Bureau here.

Department for Education early years child development training;

The Department for Education has launched a free online child development training course aimed at childminders, nursery practitioners and nursery managers. The first four modules of the training are available now. The training provides an overview of child development and gives practical advice for supporting the development of children in early years settings. Further modules will be added throughout 2023.

Early Years Professional Development Programme

The Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is now accepting applications for the latest phase of the training, beginning September 2023. The flexible study programme offers a high quality CPD programme across England facilitated through online self-study and regular webinars.

Areas covered include:

Early communication and language;

Early mathematics;

Personal, social and emotional development (PSED)

The training is designed for childminders and early years practitioners, qualified to Level 3 or above, who regularly work with disadvantaged children aged two to four (*eligibility criteria apply). To find more information on eligibility and how to apply please visit the EYPDP website.

A new resource by Booktrust sets out the extensive and wide-ranging benefits that reading can bring children, in a simple and accessible way. The resource has interactive links so that parents and early years practitioners can click on each point for headline findings or access more detailed analysis and evidence. Click here to download the resource.

The Education Endowment Foundation

The Education Endowment Foundation is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement. We do this by supporting schools, colleges, and nurseries to improve teaching and learning through better use of evidence.

Their Early Years Toolkit is a summary of the best available evidence on key areas for learning and development  – you can access it here.